Venturing Japanese??
Discussion
A year of changes for me and recently I have been considering a change of car, (yes I know that I have only had the current one a year or so). This is almost hypothetical but may come to fruition. Due to change in circumstance I will probably only have access to the car on the weekends and may have to leave it on the road if I use it on during the week and I ma not so keen on doing this with the Griff (reliability/secuerity/targetability issues).
So I was looking at my options and I have come up with the following options in no particular order. Knowing lvery little about Japanese cars I would like some opinions and views on them:
Earlier RX 7
R32
200SX
FTO
GTO
I know there's quite a big cross section, but it gives me the options of saving some money if I go for the cheaper cars. I really fance the RX or the Skyline but will the running costs cripple me? Even on very low mileage. 10-20 miles per week if that, and the occasional long jag to Manchester. The Griff currently gets around that on it.
Cheers for any opinions.
So I was looking at my options and I have come up with the following options in no particular order. Knowing lvery little about Japanese cars I would like some opinions and views on them:
Earlier RX 7
R32
200SX
FTO
GTO
I know there's quite a big cross section, but it gives me the options of saving some money if I go for the cheaper cars. I really fance the RX or the Skyline but will the running costs cripple me? Even on very low mileage. 10-20 miles per week if that, and the occasional long jag to Manchester. The Griff currently gets around that on it.
Cheers for any opinions.
RX7 is costly on the fuel front and as Batty saya, make sure you get a good one, best bet if you want to go down that route is pay a visit to us friendly lot on the www.mazdarotaryclub.com there are a few on sale over there and lots of buying advice, a good one is a superb option, but insurance can be satanic!
Skybus - very good car, lots of power but again make sure you buy a good one, buy a dog and you might as well re-mortgage your house as you hear horror stories of £10k+ engine rebuilds! Again check out the owners club for advice
200SX & FTO are certainly cheaper options, running cost and purchase price wise, but they are also in a different league on the performace front.
I don't know much about the GTO, except that they have a very good 6 cyl power plant and masses of power, fans of the GTO won't have a word said against them, others say they have too much computer assisted gadgetry.
Skybus - very good car, lots of power but again make sure you buy a good one, buy a dog and you might as well re-mortgage your house as you hear horror stories of £10k+ engine rebuilds! Again check out the owners club for advice
200SX & FTO are certainly cheaper options, running cost and purchase price wise, but they are also in a different league on the performace front.
I don't know much about the GTO, except that they have a very good 6 cyl power plant and masses of power, fans of the GTO won't have a word said against them, others say they have too much computer assisted gadgetry.
What sort of mpg an I realistically looking at in town and at a sensible 70mph on the motorway in the RX?rotarypower said:
in a stock FD3S (3rd gen) you should expect average of 18/19mpg combined up to about 25 on the motorway but down as low as 9 or 10 in town with a heavy right foot!
Yup, this is about right. A lightly modded one is actually more efficiant than stock. I get an average of ~18mpg with much of my driving being london and suburbs. On a decent motorway journey at 70ish it's much better. This is putting out close to 300rwhp so not shoddy.
Not a car to go for if you're into economy but at the 30-40 miles a week a tank will get you some 220-280 miles...
Just thought I would slip this in here but has anyone got any experience with a company called Jap-Angels
They have a GTR advertised in the classifieds:
www.pistonheads.com/sales/56457.htm
Obviously quite tempting but not sure if I could justify spanking a load more money onto my credit card for it, especially not knowing much about the company.
They have a GTR advertised in the classifieds:
www.pistonheads.com/sales/56457.htm
Obviously quite tempting but not sure if I could justify spanking a load more money onto my credit card for it, especially not knowing much about the company.
I'm not sure I could cope with the whole HUGE expense for engine rebuild on the Skyline.
Interesting about the RX though I thought they were much worse than that. I'd heard of usual single figures and then mid teens on the motorway. I get a good 30mpg out of the Griff at 70mph and can get from Bolton to Surrey for around 3/4 a tank.
I take it the engine will last around 40, 000 or so. Are the early ones (read cheaper) any good as I've seen a few going for £5k ish? All in all I'd prefer a standard one (in black), and wouldn't mind making abit if I sold my Griff (read pay off debts.)
What about the 200SX are they totally outclassed by the RX etc?
I take it the insurance will kill me as with the TVR??
>> Edited by Wildfire on Wednesday 25th January 13:04
Interesting about the RX though I thought they were much worse than that. I'd heard of usual single figures and then mid teens on the motorway. I get a good 30mpg out of the Griff at 70mph and can get from Bolton to Surrey for around 3/4 a tank.
I take it the engine will last around 40, 000 or so. Are the early ones (read cheaper) any good as I've seen a few going for £5k ish? All in all I'd prefer a standard one (in black), and wouldn't mind making abit if I sold my Griff (read pay off debts.)
What about the 200SX are they totally outclassed by the RX etc?
I take it the insurance will kill me as with the TVR??
>> Edited by Wildfire on Wednesday 25th January 13:04
Wildfire said:
I take it the engine will last around 40, 000 or so. Are the early ones (read cheaper) any good as I've seen a few going for £5k ish? All in all I'd prefer a standard one (in black), and wouldn't mind making abit if I sold my Griff (read pay off debts.)
What about the 200SX are they totally outclassed by the RX etc?
I take it the insurance will kill me as with the TVR??
Plenty of buying advice and links around the forum. Check out mazdarotaryclub.com too. Rebuilds are generally needed round 60k depending on how it's been looked after. Rebuilds are relatively cheap compared to liners and others. £2.5k would see it done - they're not so complex. A recently rebuilt, standard car would be (imo for a tidy one) £6-8k.
I'm a tad biased but there's no comparison in looks between the rx7 and 200sx. Stock vs stock there's probably no contest too.
I think the supra is more of a direct competitor/comparison to the 7 than the sx though although the supe's a tad bigger.
I have only recently bought my 200sx, and have to say I quite like it.
MPG ~20 (but with lead driving boots on) and good fun.
As for outright performance, mines completely stock, and I kept up (neck n neck) with a 2005 CTR last night. From the lights right up to 100, but then we came to the end of the private road, and re-joined the public highway at 60mph.
Thats been the only time I've driven it hard, the rest of the time I just pootle to and from work in rush hour traffic. Its comfy, quite, decent stereo and doesn't make you tired.
By the looks of things, you next car budget is slightly larger than mine was, so you could probably stretch up to a late 90's S14a with leather and aircon etc.
IMO the sensible option would be an S14a 200sx, but if it were me, I'd have the RX7.
HTH
MPG ~20 (but with lead driving boots on) and good fun.
As for outright performance, mines completely stock, and I kept up (neck n neck) with a 2005 CTR last night. From the lights right up to 100, but then we came to the end of the private road, and re-joined the public highway at 60mph.
Thats been the only time I've driven it hard, the rest of the time I just pootle to and from work in rush hour traffic. Its comfy, quite, decent stereo and doesn't make you tired.
By the looks of things, you next car budget is slightly larger than mine was, so you could probably stretch up to a late 90's S14a with leather and aircon etc.
IMO the sensible option would be an S14a 200sx, but if it were me, I'd have the RX7.
HTH
I know the Mr2 T is a good car, and I do like them but I think I'd rather go for somthing else. Somthing just slightly puts me off them, just like the 300ZX. I like them but not quite enough to buy one.
I'd like somthing that was near ish the Griff really without too much modding. I modded the Mini to death and the engine only lasted 20000 miles. That was the Piston rings other bits failed quite regularly.
I'd like somthing that was near ish the Griff really without too much modding. I modded the Mini to death and the engine only lasted 20000 miles. That was the Piston rings other bits failed quite regularly.
Skyline engines are quite simply bombproof, don't forget there are several versions the R32 GTS a 2.0 Turbo or the R33 GTS 2.5 Turbo, then you have the R32/33 GT-R's which are a 2.5 Twin turbo on throttle bodies more to go wrong but find a nice one & you'll be fine.
R33 GTS 2.5 Turbo's are simple unbreakable unless they've not been serviced, check engine crankcase for any signes of sludging, if its clean & no top end rattles you'll be fine.
RX-7 seek professional advice, they'll last 60k before needing a major rebuild costing min 3k if some diy work is done otherwise budget 5-8k.
200sx again with the S14/14a 2.0l engine are also bomproof, easy to get 300bhp with external mods only.
R33 GTS 2.5 Turbo's are simple unbreakable unless they've not been serviced, check engine crankcase for any signes of sludging, if its clean & no top end rattles you'll be fine.
RX-7 seek professional advice, they'll last 60k before needing a major rebuild costing min 3k if some diy work is done otherwise budget 5-8k.
200sx again with the S14/14a 2.0l engine are also bomproof, easy to get 300bhp with external mods only.
Completely agree with the CAPT here, the skyline RB25DET & RB26DETT engines are almost bombproof & very unstressed, can take a lot of abuse over time ,with a little tlc.So in that respect is a fairly safe bet.You can pick up an R32/33 GTST cheap enough these days, unfortunately running costs will probably be similar to that of your TVR tho.
I love the RX7 and if reliability were better I would buy one. Also at some time you are going to sell it so how hard will that be unless it has had an engine re-build. (£3K)
I do like the 200sx but probably more because it’s rear wheel drive. So I would have to go for (and Im being biased) the FTO GPX, the insurance is definitely getting cheaper/easier (tho not much), very reliable, not too many about unlike most other Jap cars, easy to service/get parts and still looks good even tho some are 10 years old.
I have had mine for 3 years and it still turns heads and I still get asked what car is it
But buy a well looked after manual one, with no mods
If I had the money I would buy a 350Z!!!
del
I do like the 200sx but probably more because it’s rear wheel drive. So I would have to go for (and Im being biased) the FTO GPX, the insurance is definitely getting cheaper/easier (tho not much), very reliable, not too many about unlike most other Jap cars, easy to service/get parts and still looks good even tho some are 10 years old.
I have had mine for 3 years and it still turns heads and I still get asked what car is it
But buy a well looked after manual one, with no mods
If I had the money I would buy a 350Z!!!
del
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=311938655634
Quite interesting, and not the outcome you would expect
Quite interesting, and not the outcome you would expect
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